Make Tyrants History, as well

Tim's good-natured jesting at the Live8 concert's hypocrisy aside [what, no barbs yet at the made-in-China bracelet fiasco? -ed.] I have been surprised and delighted by the very real and significant press coverage that the Making Poverty History coalition has been able to garner as Scotland prepares to host the G8. Say one thing for the protests since Seattle - they have succeeded in drawing crucial attention to the impact of the deliberations occurring behind these closed doors, whether the summits focus on the detail of Free Trade Agreements or otherwise.

The emphatic support of Brown and Blair on Africa has been especially crucial on the subject, and Geldoff's Live8 project is just another tactic in mobilizing pressure on the politicians who have the power to make crucial decisions. How much coverage is any of this getting outside of Britain, I wonder?

Those wishing a primer on the state of the debate would do well to read this trilogy of articles from the Observer [what paper did you read last night? -ed.]:
first the proposals by Gordon Brown, followed by the concerns of Michela Wrong on the continuing problem of tyranical African leadership and Nick Cohen on the need to keep human rights concerns at the forefront. It's a long walk to freedom, but at least we're moving slowly movement in the right direction.